Discover Oman

Trip Code: ELSO

Why we love it

Stand on top of Oman, with the vast Grand Canyon at your feet and take the scenic route down through the mountains to Muscat., Walk through remote villages, tucked between mountains and at the bottom of valleys, lush with date palms and full of friendly locals, enjoy a visit to a local bee keeper and a hearty home-cooked Omani lunch., Scramble to the top of the Wahiba Sands dunes for incredible sunset and sunrise views, and experience traditional Omani hospitality over coffee and dates with a Bedouin family., Discover Oman's most phenomenal castles and mosques with guided visits to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and Jabreen Castle., Step back in time with a night in Nizwa, staying in a heritage property in the heart of the old town, and stroll the souq for souvenirs., By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.

Is this trip right for me?

When visiting a mosque, it's important to show respect by dressing appropriately, even in the heat. Women must cover their heads and chest, arms and legs must be entirely covered in loose-fitting clothing. Men also need to cover their arms and legs.

4x4 vehicles are used on most parts of the trip as we travel around Oman. You will travel in convoy style and due to the configuration of the vehicles there may be times when you are not travelling with your leader. It is possible your driver will not speak English.

Important information

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

What to bring/pack

What you need to bring will vary according to the trip style you have chosen, the countries you are visiting and when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage and walk with it for short distances or up or down a flight of stairs. Our travellers usually find the smaller their luggage is, the more they enjoy the trip not having to worry about carrying heavy bags! Aim to keep your main luggage under 15kg.

Many travellers carry their luggage in a compact smaller suitcase or backpack with wheels. We recommend your bag has carry straps or handles so it is easy to lift and carry for the times you are unable to wheel it (ie. on rough surfaces or up steps).

If you are taking overnight trains, or primarily using public transport then the smaller your luggage the easier it will be to store under or above bunks. Large suitcases may not be able to be taken on board. A lockable bag or small padlock for your bag will be useful especially when travelling on public transportation as well.

You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, camera, swimming suit, waterproof pouch/bag for phone, hiking shoes and jacket etc. when you’re exploring during the day.

Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. Your group leader or local representative will advise whether tap water is safe to drink in your destination and if it is you can simply refill with tap water. When unable to avoid bottled water it is better to buy the largest available and distribute into your smaller bottle for the day. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip you will need to carry at least 2L of water with you.

Physical rating

 
2

This trip can be enjoyed by anyone with a reasonable level of fitness.

Joining your group

Ramee Guestline Hotel Qurum, Al Qurum Street, Way No.1622, Muscat, OMAN

Ramee Guestline hotel is located in Muttrah, Muscat, near to shopping centres and Qurum Beach. Rooms include private facilities and air conditioning. Hotel facilities include restaurant, cafe, bar, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre and 24 hour reception.

Alternate Joining Point


Joining instructions

An airport arrival transfer can be booked with Intrepid in advance. You'll nee to provide your flight details no later than 14 days prior to travel. Your driver will wait for you at the exit after you've cleared customs, with a sign of Intrepid's logo on it.

Otherwise, private taxis cost US$25-30 and are available outside the arrival hall of Muscat International Airport. It is best to prepay for your taxi at the taxi counter here, journey time is around 20-30 minutes.

In case of unforeseen problems joining your tour please contact our local emergency number.

Finishing your trip

Ramee Guestline Hotel Qurum, Al Qurum Street, Way No.1622, Muscat, OMAN

Ramee Guestline hotel is located in Muttrah, Muscat, near to shopping centres and Qurum Beach. Rooms include private facilities and air conditioning. Hotel facilities include restaurant, cafe, bar, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre and 24 hour reception.

Alternate Finish Point


Meals & dietary information

Breakfasts included: 7

Lunches included: 2

Dinners included: 3

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.

Climate & seasonal information

RAMADAN
The important month of Ramadan will be in progress 10 March to 08 April 2024 and 1 March to 30 March 2025 and  and the Eid ul-Fitr festival will be held directly at its conclusion for 3-4 days. Ramadan is a festival of sacrifice where the devout refrain from eating or drinking during daylight hours. During Ramadan, business hours are shortened, including opening hours at some tourist attractions. Alcohol is not permitted during daylight hours and many restaurants will be closed. While you should expect some delays and inconveniences during this period, the month is a fantastic opportunity to travel in a Muslim country and witness this unique period, particularly the nightly celebrations when the sun sets and the fast is broken. Please note that although the Eid ul-Fitr festival can also be a fascinating time to travel it's a period of national holiday. Most government offices and businesses will be closed and some tourist site opening hours may be affected.

In case of emergency

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/contact/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid local operator : Available for phone call on +968 7983 5219

Accommodations

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

Transportation